Archive for October, 2011

Social networking websites function like an online community of internet users who can interact with one another. many of these online community members share common interests in hobbies, religion, or politics. Once you are granted access to a social networking website you can begin to socialize with others who are apart of the website. This socialization may include reading the profile pages of other members and possibly even contacting them via messaging.

The friends that you can make are just one of the many benefits to social networking. Another one of those benefits includes diversity because the internet gives individuals from all around the world access to social networking sites including across country. This means that although you are in the South Africa, you could develop an online friendship with someone in London or Dubai. Not only will you make new friends, but you just might learn a thing or two from the people you develop a online relationship with.

In recent years, social networking online has literally exploded along with the growth of the internet and new internet technologies. MySpace hit the scene and was a excellent at providing people to the opportunity to create their own pages, invite friends, post content in the form of music, photos. YouTube has seen even wider acceptance and usage over the past few years providing anyone the opportunity to post home-made videos or photo shopped videos, one out of every 4 searches on the internet today is a YouTube search seeking multimedia content for countless topics which people are influenced by.

Facebook, and more recently, Twitter have exploded on the scene providing two very popular portals for social networking. Facebook is more of a personal networking site as it promotes “reconnecting” with old high school, college, post graduate and former corporate friends. Many have extended their networks to include commercial interests as well. Blogs, in and of itself, a form of social networking, is often linked through RSS (Really Simple Syndication) on Facebook pages so those within one’s personal network can view the blog posts on the home page of the Facebook user.

Twitter is not as personal as Facebook. Twitter is a micro blogging site that limits all single posts to a limit of 140 characters. Twitter’s open interface has paved the way for countless tools and utilities that allow users to build large networks of followers who also use the site. In fact, following others and being followed is central to the Twitter experience … whether or not you have ever met the individuals before. You can just start following people or you can use Twitter’s Search to seek people that with similar interests or ones who have specific interests or expertise you wish to get involved in. Building a large loyal network of followers can be very powerful if you are able to provide your followers with worthwhile comment and content that is unique, helpful, entertaining and engaging. For example, you can Tweet about a new song that you’ve written and link to it. If your content is great, you will find that more and more people will follow you.

“The bottom line is the individual who originates the tweet is definitely subject to liability for libel. Twitter is completely off the hook for liability under section 230 unless they play an active editorial role in the tweet. If your question seeks to determine whether or not linking to a tweet is considered libelous, I don’t think so because that is passive conduct. If simple linking subjected individuals to liability for libel, no one would use the Internet because simply browsing or sending e-mails to your friends with links in it would subject you to civil lawsuits across the world. Re-publishing a libellous tweet is much more active conduct but I think context would be determinative of liability.

Advantages of twittering

It will make you a better writer. Twitter only allows you to post 140 characters for a post. As a result, you are forced to be concise and to the point.

It will help you stay connected to people you care about as it is difficult to find time in todays busy world.

It will help you see a new side of your friends. In an odd sort of way, Twitter “humanizes” people and provides a context for better understanding them for example I get bored excited and grumpy in a day. We also see sides to politicians as community members wait for a reply. It will introduce you to new friends you able to meet and get to know new people.It is faster than text-messaging, in a way as you can broadcast a message to all your contacts. It will make you think about your life as people who follow you can see the activities which are posted. Twiiter allows people to post there valuable and authentic experiences about the political government in there community or new restaurants. Controversial post has more view from members of public. Twitter is a free service and you can post in less than 30 seconds. Twitter also helps create a reputation as people build themselves one tweet at a time. It also gives a chances for ordinary people to interact with celebrities and politicians

Politicians have recently turned to social media as a new form of political interaction helps politicians stay connected with supporters and update there platforms. However, not all social media is created equal and twitter seems like the obvious choice for politicians,

Twitter Increases Politicians’ Exposure

Having an account on Twitter means you’ll be seen. Politicians can link their Twitter account to their official website and send it out with their communications, and they’ll quickly start to see their follower numbers expand. It doesn’t require any approval process to allow people to connect to the politicians they are interested in following, and it is a high-profile network that is well-known around the world.

Twitter Enables Engagement

Twitter accounts can enter into two (or more)-way conversations with regular citizens on the network.

Although it takes work, politicians can stay on top of who’s talking about them, who’s talking to them and who’s sharing their thoughts on Twitter. They can respond to inquiries and concerns, showing the public that they really do care about the country folk.

Twitter Can Be Used To Broadcast

On the other end of the spectrum, Twitter can also be used as a one-way broadcasting tool. Twitter does offer a means to simply update followers without really engaging with them. This is useful for politicians who want to use the service to post their speaking tour dates, release poll results, or send messages of thanks to their followers who vote for them

Ideally, politicians should use Twitter to both engage their audience and to broadcast important political milestones which they have achieved.

Politicians Can Listen on Twitter

Being on Twitter might gain exposure for a politician, but it can also give them insight into what people are talking about and what effect communities are experiencing

Politicians can also search for their user name or political terms, such as “health care” to see what the people using the service are experiencing and commenting about there treatment.

Pulling people together with common perspectives, though online groups,

we recently conducted a group research project on air pollution. my contribution was the introduction. which gases are harmful and a latter of the effects of the gases. the assignment was very informative about aspects which are effecting the earth we live on. we did learn alot. i worked together with Pearl and Sanele.i also contributed a table of information about the effects and how the air pollution level has increased from 1997 to 2007. i also contributed images showing the respiratory system of a person. this is the URL to our complete assignmenthttp://internetstudies.ukzn.ac.za/newsmedia/?p=638